Hi! I currently have one dvr (r15) hooked up in the living room. In 2 bedrooms I have regular receivers that I'd like to change to dvr's. A couple questions..is it cheaper to buy the receiver (s) from eBay (can get them for under 100), etc or should I call dtv? They don't have a great special going on for current customers, I certainly don't want a 2 year commitment! If I do buy outright from someone else do I just call dtv and tell them I have hooked up new dvr's and give them a serial number or something? Can I install the receiver myself (is it just plug in/hook up and go?). Do I need anything else special? Meaning, can I hook up 1-2 more dvr's without needing a different dish or anything, just the wire coming in to the plain receiver now? Also, will I be able to watch/tape two channels on each receiver such as someone is sitting in living room watching 2 channels while someone else is in a bedroom watching 2 channels? Thanks for any help, I'm almost clueless on all this stuff!!!!!
Want to add 1 or 2 dvr's
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It doesn't matter where you get the R15. As part of the lease terms, you are agreeing to a 2-year commitment by activating it. If you want to avoid that your best bet might be trying to find a couple of old DirecTivos since they were never leased.
Now you could just plug them in yourself, but since you're replacing a standard receiver I'm assuming you only have one coax cable in each bedroom. If that's the case you'd only be able to use one tuner. If you want to use both tuners you'll need two runs of cable from your dish to each receiver.
Now you could just plug them in yourself, but since you're replacing a standard receiver I'm assuming you only have one coax cable in each bedroom. If that's the case you'd only be able to use one tuner. If you want to use both tuners you'll need two runs of cable from your dish to each receiver.
Could you explain the two runs of cable thing to me a little further? Do I need to buy anything special besides more cable? I realize two lines probably have to come it, would it be self explanatory but studying how the one I have is done?
Also, why would I have to have a 2 year commitment if I'm purchasing the equipment not leasing it? I'm not sure I understand that?
Also, why would I have to have a 2 year commitment if I'm purchasing the equipment not leasing it? I'm not sure I understand that?
andreah1 said:
Assuming you have a 3LNB dish, you'll need at least a 4x6 cascadable multiswitch (4 coax from dish into the 4 side of the 4x6, then 2 lines to each dvr from the 6 side of the 4x6), as well as the required lengths of RG6 coax that preferably uses compression fittings (as opposed to crimps(yuk)), and any associated barrel connectors, if needed, etc.
andreah1 said:
It is a programming commitment, not hardware, so where or how you got the hardware does not factor into it, nor does it being leased or not, it is the activation of programming on the unit that the commitment is attached to.
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Yikes that sounds confusing to me. Went down cellar to look and have a switch/box thingy with 3 cables on one side and 4 coming out of the other side. I assume 2 go to the dvr and 1 each to the receivers I have now. I guess this is beyond me, sounds like I would have to have more coming in from the dish and I'm not at all sure how to do that stuff.
I emailed dtv and they said if I lease the equipment there's commitment, to opt out of the commitment I would have to purchase the equiment, so looks like I don't have to worry about that part....it's the installation that's gonna kill me! Do they happen to have instructions with the dvr's or is it rely on guys like you that know what you're doing!? I suppose it wouldn't be that hard but I'm a picture person...show me a picture and I can have it done it minutes!
I emailed dtv and they said if I lease the equipment there's commitment, to opt out of the commitment I would have to purchase the equiment, so looks like I don't have to worry about that part....it's the installation that's gonna kill me! Do they happen to have instructions with the dvr's or is it rely on guys like you that know what you're doing!? I suppose it wouldn't be that hard but I'm a picture person...show me a picture and I can have it done it minutes!
I tried to find a diagram for your exact situation, but its location eludes me, however, I did find one that shows a dual lnb and a 2x8 switch, the wiring is the same, except in your case, (again, assuming you have a 3lnb/oval dish) you need a 4x6 (cascadable), as your dish has 4 coax coming from the dish instead of the 2 illustrated in the diagram below.
So in this diagram, replace the picture of the dual lnb dish (2 leads) with your dish (with 4 leads), and the 2x8 with your needed 4x6, and the receivers shown to your (soon to be) 3 DVRs.
If you have also OTA diplexed you will need a different setup.
Diagram:
http://www.feldoncentral.com/TiVo/direcTVmultiswitch3DTV-2dumb.gif
As for the CSR, they have a way of, well, of being wrong, but if you can get them to do it without commitment, more power to ya.
So in this diagram, replace the picture of the dual lnb dish (2 leads) with your dish (with 4 leads), and the 2x8 with your needed 4x6, and the receivers shown to your (soon to be) 3 DVRs.
If you have also OTA diplexed you will need a different setup.
Diagram:
http://www.feldoncentral.com/TiVo/direcTVmultiswitch3DTV-2dumb.gif
As for the CSR, they have a way of, well, of being wrong, but if you can get them to do it without commitment, more power to ya.
Damaged, I have a dual lnb dish...so, that diagram looks "close" to what I'd be doing right? I would have a dvr in the living room, a dvr in a bedroom and a reg. receiver in another bedroom. Would that mean I could do it with a 2x6? Also, to double check, each receiver would be seperate? Wouldn't have to share channels, etc? I'm pretty sure by looking at the diagram my hubby could figure it out. Looks like instead of one cable coming out for the new dvr we would just add another one on? Am I sounding confusing?
I'm calling dtv again today to ask about commitment issues. I'll cross my fingers!
I'm calling dtv again today to ask about commitment issues. I'll cross my fingers!
andreah1 said:Damaged, I have a dual lnb dish...so, that diagram looks "close" to what I'd be doing right? I would have a dvr in the living room, a dvr in a bedroom and a reg. receiver in another bedroom. Would that mean I could do it with a 2x6? Also, to double check, each receiver would be seperate? Wouldn't have to share channels, etc? I'm pretty sure by looking at the diagram my hubby could figure it out. Looks like instead of one cable coming out for the new dvr we would just add another one on? Am I sounding confusing?
I'm calling dtv again today to ask about commitment issues. I'll cross my fingers!
Correct, 2x6 (you will replace the multiswitch you have now with the new 2x6, you probably have a 2x4 right now, or possibly a 3x4, the 3rd port would be marked ANT.) is what you want then, so, if you follow that diagram you will have what you wanted, no sharing of channels etc, you will have all seperate tuners, and you will have seperate programming per tuner. 2 from the 6 side of the 2x6 to each DVR and one for each standard receiver.
Good luck.
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andreah1 said:
Just be very wary of eBay, a user here just posted the other day that he had 3 ebay-bought receivers arrive totally DEAD.
I'll find the post and add it here in a minute.
Ok here is the thread:
http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=70965
The pertinant posts are #1 and #19, though you may want to read them all.
Also, insist the seller give you the Reciever ID (RID) and Card ID (CID) before you bid, so you can call D* and make sure there is no balance on the accounts, if they refuse, don't trust them.
I am letting you know, because I would hate your good luck to be turned bad by eBay.
Caveat Emptor!
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andreah1 said:
If it were me, I'd buy from Robert @ valueelectronics.
Mention to them you are a satelliteguys.us member, and you'll get a deal.
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If hubby is doing the switch change, make sure he unplugs the power from ALL receivers first (turning them off is NOT the same), if he doesn't there is a chance he can short an LNB.
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